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Evolution and Biogeograhy. June 20, 2006 Lecturer: Meg Grantham. Adaptive Features of Organisms. Ancestral descent with modification – something arises that makes organism better equipped to survive. Natural Selection – features allow organism to survive to reproduce.
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Evolution and Biogeograhy June 20, 2006 Lecturer: Meg Grantham
Adaptive Features of Organisms • Ancestral descent with modification – something arises that makes organism better equipped to survive. • Natural Selection – features allow organism to survive to reproduce.
Macroevolution: the origin of new taxonomic groups • Speciation: the origin of new species • 1- Anagenesis (phyletic evolution): accumulation of heritable changes • 2- Cladogenesis (branching evolution): budding of new species from a parent species that continues to exist (basis of biological diversity)
What is a species? • Biological species concept (Mayr):a population or group of populations whose members have the potential to interbreed and produce viable, fertile offspring (genetic exchange is possible and that is genetically isolated from other populations)
Speciation • Morphological species – determined by appearance • Biological species – the largest unit of a population in which gene flow is possible without artificial means
Reproductive Isolation (isolation of gene pools), I • Prezygotic barriers:impede mating between species or hinder the fertilization of the ova • Habitat (snakes; water/terrestrial) • Behavioral (fireflies; mate signaling) • Temporal (salmon; seasonal mating) • Mechanical (flowers; pollination anatomy) • Gametic (frogs; egg coat receptors)
Reproductive Isolation, II • Postzygotic barriers: fertilization occurs, but the hybrid zygote does not develop into a viable, fertile adult • Reduced hybrid viability (frogs; zygotes fail to develop or reach sexual maturity) • Reduced hybrid fertility (mule; horse x donkey; cannot backbreed) • Hybrid breakdown (cotton; 2nd generation hybrids are sterile)
Mechanisms for the origin of reproductive isolation • Geographic Barriers • Small populations become separated • Fringe populations become segregated from smaller population • Adaptive radiations • Gene pools become segregated by adaptations to different habitats
Mechanisms for the origin of reproductive isolation • Genetic Barriers • Can be gradual or sudden. • Speciation by diverengence – isolation is secondary consequence between already separated populations. • Separated populations accumulate mutations over time • Barrier produced by prezygotic or postzygotic mechanisms.
Resources to investigate evolution • List of resource material from PBS. • http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/link/resources.html
Evidence for assessing historical population shifts • Paleontology • Phylogenetic systematics • Interplay between dispersal and continental drift • Example: S. America had distinct populations until continental collisions about 3 MYA, when Panamanian uplift connected N. and S. America.
Introduction of Population Biology:Biogeographic Distributions • Cosmopolitan – everywhere • Endemic – restricted to specific regions • Disjunct – separated • Caused by • Dispersal • Vicariance – i. e. continental drift
Biogeography Resources • An excellent online textbook to investigate biomes: • http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/biogeography/outline.html
Biogeographical Heirarchy • Realm – Geographical Distinction • Ecoregion – Function of Climate • Biome – Function of Rainfall • Community – Function of other physical parameters • Ecotone – intermediate plant distribution; characteristics of 2 different communities
Energy Transfer in the Environment • Photosynthesis 6CO2+12H2O + (Solar Energy) ---> C6H12O6+6O2+6H2O • RespirationC6H12O6+6O2---> 6CO2+6H2O+2830 kj • Simplified CO2+H2O + (Solar Energy) ---> CO2+ CH2O
Biomes • Five Principal Biomes – based on unique plant and animal communities. • Forest • Savannah • Grassland • Desert • Tundra
Ecology – Trophic Levels • Primary Producers – plants • Consumers – live plants or prey • Decomposers – use energy stored in dead plants or animals
Ecology – Trophic Levels • First Law of Thermodynamics - states that energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be changed from one form to another. • Second Law of Thermodynamics - states that whenever energy is transformed, there is a loss energy through the release of heat. This occurs when energy is transferred between trophic levels
Pond Ecology Resources • Microscopic Pond Life http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/index.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/ponddip/index.html • Virtual Pond http://www.uen.org/utahlink/pond/virtpond2.cgi • Pond Life Game http://www.nalms.org/games/pondgame/plgame.htm#002 • Create a Pond Activity http://www.geocities.com/sseagraves/createapond.htm • Center for Global Environmental Education http://cgee.hamline.edu/ http://cgee.hamline.edu/frogs/teachers/index.html
Difference between lake and pond • Lakes are statified by temp and oxygen • Ponds are not for the most part • Can get an estimate by the use of a Secchi Disk.
Other Resources • Find an activity- http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/ATG/